The present invention generally relates to network routing and network communications.
Conventional networks, such as the Internet, rely heavily on centralized routers to perform routing tasks in accomplishing network communications. The vulnerability and fragility of these conventional networks make entities feel insecure about using them.
Further, network attacks are a common occurrence in today's cyber environment. Computers that are not protected by firewalls are under constant attack. Servers are especially vulnerable due to the fact that they must keep a port open on their firewall to enable a connection to a client. Hackers use this vulnerability to attack the server or computer with a Denial of Service (DoS) attack to deny use of the server.
Cyber security is under siege from hackers. Since cyber security solutions can be bought, studied, and reverse engineered, hackers often have had a free hand attacking and stealing information from individuals, companies, and nations. One major issue is that, traditionally, the security industry creates “a single lock” for all of their customers and assumes that no one can break the lock. However, this paradigm is not working, as companies and nations have had information stolen. Recently, for example, Sony and the United States Office of Program Management have been the victim of hacks. Once a hacker figures out a technique for how to break a cyber defense tool such as a firewall, deep packet inspection, virus protection, intrusion detection system. IPS or others, the technique generally becomes part of their play book on how to hack.
Further, when vendors develop red team tools that are used to test a company's defenses, these tools can simply be pointed at other companies and used by hackers to break encryption and hack firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
Needs exist for improvement in cyber security. For example, needs exist for security mechanisms that are not algorithmic in nature and which can be modified in unique ways so that security can be achieved with simple software modifications. Needs exist for system configuration to be leveraged to change operation functionality as well. One or more of these needs is addressed by one or more aspects of the present invention.